Kacie
“I won’t share him,” Athena growls. She doesn’t care about Clara or what she’s going through. It doesn’t matter that she’s hurting what matters is that Clara is still here.
Clara stands there staring at Viktor expecting something and it makes our blood boil. “Let me handle this,” I tell Athena.
“I don’t know what you’re going through and I would need more than a few minutes to try and… understand where you’re coming from.” I don’t look at him, if I do, I’ll crumble. I still feel him though. His hand hovering over my lower back.
“We don’t know who you are. Until we confirm who you are…” I trail off. What does she do in the meantime? What if we somehow confirm that she’s his mate too? What then?
All of these questions and this whole situation is making my head spin. As much as I want, no need, Viktor’s comfort and reassurance right now. I have to be strong, I can’t appear weak right now. I won’t appear weak in front of her.
Clara sighs. Her eyes stare up at me and I know she’s mulling something over even though she remains silent.
“Viktor isn’t my mate, he’s my destined. There’s a difference.”
Her eyes slide up Viktor’s body before continuing, “Wolven or werewolves as you call yourselves if blessed by the Goddess get a Goddess-chosen mate. I know that once you find each other you are… inseparable,” she says, dissatisfied.
“Whereas all witches have a destined but not every witch is blessed enough to meet their destined. A witch can live out their entire life without meeting him or her,” Clara stands up and paces.
“Think of it as one half to a whole, if you live your entire life without the other half you’ll never know you’re missing something,” Clara says, staring intently at Viktor. “When a witch does come across their partner… they realize what’s missing and from then on they usually aren’t separated.”
“We aren’t wolves but we have our own rituals and ceremonies to complete but with you being a wolf… and already having a mate… I don’t know how this would work.”
“Do you think the Goddess would bless you with two mates? How do we confirm this?” I ask Viktor, honestly curious. “If this is all a part of her plan… where does that leave me?”
“We can talk about this upstairs,” Viktor says. His low voice tells me he’s upset and I hate feeling like he could be upset with me. I fight the tears that threaten to fill my eyes.
“Am I invisible now? What about how I feel in this situation Viktor? Are you going to sit there and ignore me? Ignore how you felt when you had me in front of you just a few minutes ago?” Clara asks, hurt laced in her voice.
Viktor and I both pause and look at Clara. “What about the fact that I have to stand here and watch him only look at you? Have you guys mated? What about me?” She whimpers and a tear rolls down her cheek.
I’m frozen.
I don’t know how I’m supposed to respond to that. I don’t know how to handle her presence or what she could mean to Viktor and my relationship. How am I supposed to think about her feelings?
“We owe her nothing,” Athena growls. “Viktor is our mate, we will not share him with her. We don’t know her or where she came from.” Athena’s blinded by jealousy, I’m also jealous but… I shake my head silencing her.
“Clara’s right. It’s possible that she needs to hear this as much as we need to talk about it,” I say to him. “If she’s your mate too, we have to figure out what’s going on how to make this work.”
Viktor’s eyes scan my face, his arms wrap around me, “I don’t want you to doubt me.”
I nibble on my bottom lip, my teeth pressing into the skin. I can’t even look at him yet, I can’t let him see how this is making me feel right now.
Doubt him? Do I have any right to doubt him? Any right to expect anything from him? He’s already done so much for me. Doesn’t he know that with one word from him I’d go upstairs, I’d forget Clara, I’d go to his room, I’d wait for him. Athena whimpers at my thoughts.
Taking a deep breath, I call on the Goddess to give me strength and I raise my eyes to meet his. I’m fine. I mentally repeat the words. I’m fine. Maybe I can make my body, my mind believe it too. Maybe he’ll believe it.
“I don’t doubt you,” I say before pushing out of his grasp. I stride over to the nearest table. It’s going to be a long night, we might as well sit. Viktor follows and sits next to me, his eyes remain on me. I look at Clara as she glides over to us and sits across from us.
Her eyes shift and land on Viktor. I fight the urge to lunge at her and ask Athena to calm down. Her emotions are mixing with mine. I can barely handle mine right now.
Viktor’s hand reaches over and grips my thigh. The tingles remind me that he’s my mate, the love of my life. I bite my lip again, but I may not be only his. I shudder and turn my attention back to Clara. Her eyes are locked on his hand on my thigh and I almost feel a tinge of guilt. Almost.
This is going to be awkward and painful but I will be strong. I won’t let her see me cry. Athena whimpers.
“Please, Athena. I need you right now. I don’t think I can do this without you.” I plead.
Now what.
“Thank you for… including me,” Clara starts. “But excuse me, I don’t mean offense when I ask this. I’m very… direct.”
I nod.
“Would you consider sharing him?” She asks.